Major Controversies Surrounding Bill Clinton: A Detailed Timeline

Public opinion and media debates around Bill Clinton—discover key moments of controversy.

Bill Clinton, the 42nd U.S. President (1993-2001), is a prominent American politician and lawyer. A Democrat, he served as Arkansas's Attorney General (1977-1979) and Governor (1979-1981, 1983-1992). Clinton's presidency was defined by centrist 'Third Way' policies, establishing him as a 'New Democrat'.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1968: Educational Draft Deferment

In 1968, during the Vietnam War, Bill Clinton received educational draft deferments while he was in England.

October 1969: Moratorium to End the War

In October 1969, while at Oxford, Bill Clinton organized a Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam event.

1978: Alleged Rape by Clinton

In the spring of 1978, Juanita Broaddrick alleges that Bill Clinton raped her. She told multiple witnesses in 1978 she had been raped by Clinton, something these witnesses also state in interviews to the press.

1985: Roger Clinton's Drug Sentence

In 1985, Bill Clinton's half-brother Roger was sentenced to prison for possession and smuggling of cocaine.

1987: Don Henry and Kevin Ives Murders

In 1987, the killing of Don Henry and Kevin Ives started conspiracy theories that accused Bill Clinton and the Arkansas state authorities of covering up the crime.

1991: Alleged unwanted advances towards Paula Jones

In 1991, Clinton allegedly made unwanted advances towards Paula Jones, which later led to a sexual harassment lawsuit in 1994.

1992: Ricky Ray Rector execution

In 1992, during his presidential campaign, Bill Clinton flew home to Arkansas to affirm the controversial execution of Ricky Ray Rector would proceed as scheduled, drawing attention to his stance on capital punishment.

1992: Draft Controversy During Campaign

In 1992, during his presidential campaign, it was revealed that Clinton's uncle attempted to secure him a position in the Navy Reserve to avoid deployment to Vietnam.

1992: Holmes' Statement

In 1992, during the presidential campaign, Colonel Eugene Holmes issued a notarized statement suspecting that Clinton tried to manipulate the situation to avoid the draft.

April 19, 1993: Waco Siege Operation

On April 19, 1993, under President Clinton's attorney general Janet Reno, the FBI used tear gas on the Branch Davidian community near Waco, Texas, leading to a fire and the deaths of 75 residents, including 24 children.

May 19, 1993: Firing of White House Travel Office Employees

On May 19, 1993, Bill Clinton fired seven employees of the White House Travel Office, leading to the White House travel office controversy.

September 22, 1993: Health Care Reform Plan Speech to Congress

On September 22, 1993, Bill Clinton addressed Congress to present his health care reform plan, aimed at achieving universal health care coverage through a national health care plan. Hillary Clinton led the task force responsible for creating the plan, but despite initial positive reception, it ultimately failed due to opposition from conservatives, the American Medical Association, and the health insurance industry.

November 1993: David Hale's Allegations Against Clinton

In November 1993, David Hale alleged that Bill Clinton, while governor of Arkansas, pressured him to provide an illegal $300,000 loan to Susan McDougal, the Clintons' partner in the Whitewater land deal.

1993: White House Visits

Between 1993 and 1995, while Clinton was president, Jeffrey Epstein visited the White House at least 17 times; logs show that Clinton was not at the White House for some of the visits during those dates. Specifically in 1993 Clinton became a member of Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. with his wife.

1993: Kathleen Willey's Allegation

In 1993, Kathleen Willey alleged that Bill Clinton had groped her in a hallway. An independent counsel determined Willey gave "false information" to the FBI, inconsistent with sworn testimony related to the Jones allegation.

August 1994: Failure of National Health Care System

In August 1994, the effort to create a national health care system failed when compromise legislation by George J. Mitchell failed to gain a majority of support. This marked the first major legislative defeat of the Clinton administration.

September 1994: Signing of the Omnibus Crime Bill

In September 1994, Clinton signed the Omnibus Crime Bill into law, making various changes to U.S. crime and law enforcement legislation, including expanding the death penalty.

1994: Paula Jones initiates sexual harassment lawsuit

In 1994, Paula Jones initiated a sexual harassment lawsuit against Clinton, claiming he had made unwanted advances towards her in 1991.

1995: White House Visits

May 1996: Clinton's First Documented Reference to Gay Marriage

In May 1996, President Clinton made his first documented reference to the issue of gay marriage, in a brief written response to a Reader's Digest questioning whether he agreed with it.

June 1996: White House FBI Files Controversy

In June 1996, the White House FBI files controversy arose concerning improper access by the White House to FBI security-clearance documents.

September 21, 1996: Signing of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

On September 21, 1996, President Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) into law. This defined marriage for federal purposes as the legal union of one man and one woman and allowed individual states to refuse to recognize gay marriages performed in other states. Critics cited the act as discriminatory towards the LGBT community.

September 30, 1996: Signing of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act

On September 30, 1996, President Clinton signed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) as part of an initiative to curb illegal immigration.

1996: Chinese Contributions to Clinton's Reelection Campaign

In 1996, it was discovered that several Chinese foreigners made illegal contributions to Bill Clinton's reelection campaign and the Democratic National Committee with the backing of the People's Republic of China.

1996: Failure of Employment Non-Discrimination Act

In 1996, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which Bill Clinton lobbied for, failed to pass the Senate by a single vote. The bill aimed to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation in the private sector.

1996: United States campaign finance controversy

In 1996, there was a United States campaign finance controversy, which was an alleged effort by China to influence the domestic policies of the United States, before and during the Clinton administration, and involved the fundraising practices of the administration itself. The Chinese government denied all accusations.

February 1997: Controversy Over Donations and White House Stays

In February 1997, it was revealed that 938 people stayed at the White House, with 821 of them donating to the Democratic Party and receiving stays in the Lincoln bedroom as a result.

March 19, 1998: Julie Hiatt Steele Accusation

On March 19, 1998, Julie Hiatt Steele, a friend of Kathleen Willey, released an affidavit accusing Willey of asking her to lie and corroborate Willey's account of being sexually groped by Bill Clinton.

April 1998: Dismissal of Paula Jones lawsuit

In April 1998, Judge Susan Webber Wright initially dismissed Paula Jones' sexual harassment lawsuit against Clinton on the grounds that it lacked legal merit.

August 1998: Admission of affair with Monica Lewinsky

In August 1998, Clinton admitted to having an affair with Monica Lewinsky, which gained traction for Paula Jones' sexual harassment suit.

October 1998: Tentative settlement offer in Paula Jones case

In October 1998, Clinton's attorneys tentatively offered $700,000 to settle the Paula Jones case, which was then the $800,000 which Jones' lawyers sought.

December 1998: Impeachment Hearings Begin Against Clinton

In December 1998, impeachment hearings against President Clinton began in the House of Representatives before the mid-term elections.

December 19, 1998: Clinton Impeached by the House of Representatives

On December 19, 1998, Bill Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, making him the second U.S. president to be impeached.

1998: Impeachment proceedings begin

In 1998, Clinton's impeachment proceedings began, though his job approval rating reached its highest point during this period.

1998: Juanita Broaddrick's Allegation

In 1998, Juanita Broaddrick alleged that Bill Clinton had raped her in the spring of 1978. She had earlier filed an affidavit denying any "unwelcome sexual advances" and later repeated the denial in a sworn deposition, stating she had denied being raped only to avoid testifying publicly.

1998: Lewinsky Scandal Impact

In 1998, the Lewinsky scandal led to Bill Clinton's impeachment, and has had an enduring impact on his legacy. The affair has been revisited as an abuse of power, given the power differential between a president and a 22-year-old intern.

1998: Clinton-Lewinsky Scandal

In early 1998, the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal came to light, revealing an affair between President Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

January 1999: Impeachment Trial Begins

In January 1999, Bill Clinton's impeachment trial began in the Senate, following his impeachment by the House of Representatives in December 1998.

February 12, 1999: Senate Acquits Clinton of Impeachment Charges

On February 12, 1999, the Senate acquitted Bill Clinton of both charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, failing to reach the two-thirds majority required for conviction.

1999: Impeachment proceedings continue

In 1999, Clinton's impeachment proceedings continued, though his job approval rating remained high.

1999: Criticism of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Implementation

In 1999, President Clinton criticized the implementation of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, stating that it was "out of whack". He originally signed the bill into action in 1993, as a compromise after his proposal to allow gays to serve openly in the military met staunch opposition.

March 2000: Independent Counsel Finds No Crime in FBI Files Controversy

In March 2000, Independent Counsel Robert Ray determined there was no credible evidence of any crime regarding the White House's access to FBI files.

January 19, 2001: Clinton's Law License Suspended

On January 19, 2001, Bill Clinton's law license was suspended for five years after he acknowledged engaging in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice in the Jones case.

January 20, 2001: Clinton Issues Pardons on Last Day in Office

On January 20, 2001, Bill Clinton issued 141 pardons and 36 commutations on his last day in office, sparking controversy, including the pardon of Marc Rich and allegations of payments for influencing pardon decisions.

2002: Warning Against Iraq War

In 2002, Bill Clinton warned that pre-emptive military action against Iraq would have unwelcome consequences. He later claimed to have opposed the Iraq War from the start.

2002: Clinton Global Initiative & Epstein

In 2002, Jeffrey Epstein was described by a Clinton spokesperson as a "highly successful financier and a committed philanthropist" who provided "insights and generosity". Also in 2002, President Clinton took a trip on Jeffrey Epstein's airplane to Europe in connection with the work of the Clinton Foundation.

2002: Alleged visit to Little St. James Island

In 2002, Virginia Roberts, later known as Virginia Giuffre, said in a lawsuit against Prince Andrew that Clinton had traveled to Little St. James Island.

2003: Trips on Epstein's airplane

In 2002 and 2003, President Clinton took four trips on Jeffrey Epstein's airplane: one to Europe, one to Asia, and two to Africa, which included stops in connection with the work of the Clinton Foundation.

2003: Alleged visit to Little St. James Island

Unverified reports alleged that Clinton flew to Little St. James Island, Epstein's Caribbean island, on Epstein's private jet between January 2001 and 2003.

July 2, 2011: The New York Times Editorial on DOMA

On July 2, 2011, The New York Times published an editorial describing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as an election-year wedge issue and "one of [Bill] President Clinton's worst policy moments."

November 2017: Brazile urged Clinton to campaign despite criticism

In November 2017, former DNC interim chair Donna Brazile urged Bill Clinton to campaign during the 2018 midterm elections, in spite of New York U.S. senator Kirsten Gillibrand's recent criticism of the Lewinsky scandal.

2017: Settlement of Virginia Roberts' lawsuit

In 2017, Virginia Roberts' lawsuit against Prince Andrew, in which she said that Clinton had traveled to Little St. James Island in 2002, was settled.

2018: Clinton Addresses Resignation Question

In 2018, Bill Clinton was asked in several interviews about whether he should have resigned due to the Lewinsky scandal, and he stated that he believed he made the right decision in not resigning.

2018: Revisiting of sexual misconduct allegations

In 2018, in light of the #MeToo movement, allegations of sexual misconduct against Clinton have been revisited, with many commentators and Democratic leaders now saying Clinton should have been compelled to resign after the Lewinsky affair.

July 2019: Clinton spokesperson statement

In July 2019, a Clinton spokesperson issued a statement saying Clinton never visited Little St. James Island.

2019: Statement on Epstein

In 2019, Clinton's office released a statement saying that Clinton knew nothing about the crimes Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to in Florida or those he had been recently charged with in New York.